141. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the expected timescale for the exemption of family residential units up to 40 sq. m in back gardens; whether this will restrict the commercial rental of such units without planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5319/26]

Sentiment score: -0.09

Early last year, I asked for some flexibility for people to build within their gardens. I note that under pillar 1 of the housing plan, action 4.8 commits to increasing the number of development types exempt from planning permission. When is this coming in? Will there be clear boundaries in terms of the scope? It should be for families and not for commercial rental in the first instance.

Sentiment score: 0.18

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. This is not going to sort out the housing crisis but it will make a dent. Where it is going to help in particular is where people can either have a starter home or an age-appropriate home in the area where they already live, work or grew up. That is crucial because a lot of people cannot actually get a property in the area where they have grown up. In that context, it is important to make sure this legislation is primarily for families with, maybe, a two-year exemption period where someone has used it and they have moved on and then it could possibly be extended under the rent-a-room scheme, for example, should people have that annex available. I am very conscious that there are a lot of cowboy operators out there who have built unauthorised developments in back gardens and are renting them out. They are not registered with the tenancies board so we have to make sure this is purely for family members only, initially anyway.

Sentiment score: 0.12

It is something that will be welcomed by so many families within communities. In framing the legislation before it actually comes before the committee, could the local authorities also be contacted? Local authorities obviously have to enforce planning regulations but I was told before by a county manager that they do not have the resources to bring every case to court. There are situations. For example, I know of a mother of two severely autistic children whose family built an annex out the back because she had nowhere else to go. A local authority has issued enforcement proceedings to tear the whole structure down. If the Minister of State could issue guidelines saying to go easy until the legislation comes in, then there may be the opportunity to retrospectively apply for retention in situations like that. We are talking about people living real lives with serious consequences if they have to tear these down. They will end up in a homeless hub and that is not appropriate. Any help the Minister of State could give in that regard would be appreciated.

Sentiment score: 0.14